Visionary powers, ayahuasca dreams, and journeys to other realms—Itzhak Beery experienced all these and more on his extraordinary journey from skeptic to respected shamanic healer. Itzhak Beery joins Sandie Sedgbeer to share how we can all develop our healing ability, experience visionary dreams, and communicate with plants and power animals, by tapping into our own natural shamanic powers.

Itzhak Beery is an internationally recognized shamanic healer and teacher who was initiated into the Circle of 24 Yachaks by his Quechua teacher in Ecuador, and has trained intensively with elders from South and North America. He is cofounder of the New York Shamanic Circle and author of the book The Gift of Shamanism. His work has been featured in the N Y Times, films, TV and webinars. www.ShamanPortal.org

Sandie Sedgbeer combines her love of broadcasting with her pioneering work as a consultant advising authors, teachers, speakers, and individuals how to apply the science of resonance for personal and business success. www.sedgbeer.com

Any of us can read these wise words by teacher Byron Katie and nod our heads in agreement. You’ve possibly heard time and time again about the learning that’s available in each and every interaction we have with others.

And it’s true.

You argue with your sister and get clearer about how much you want peace and connection with her. Your young son innocently points out the inconsistency between something you just did and an oft-repeated family rule. Your partner makes a casual comment that sends you into anger and you uncover an unhealed emotional wound from long ago.

Those closest to us offer countless opportunities for learning and growth…if we are open to the lessons.

Our relationships– particularly our love relationship or marriage– is much like a dojo. In martial arts traditions, the dojo is the practice hall or school where students are taught new techniques and where they go to hone their strength, discipline and skill through practice. It is the space where a novice can develop into a master.

Your relationship provides the very same space and potential for amazing emotional and spiritual growth…but only if you stay aware and let in what’s offered.

What usually happens for most of us is when we bump up against someone, we bypass the potential for learning and go straight to judgment, irritation, self-righteousness, resentment or fury.

This can lead to distance and disconnection in the relationship and the probability rises for a repeat experience of the same behaviors (in others and ourselves) again and again. This is why so many people go through a breakup and then later get into a completely new relationship which ends up feeling almost exactly like their old one.

When you’re closed to the lessons being offered by your teacher, the situations and faces may change, but the annoyance and anguish remain pretty much the same.

The wonderful news is this…

You are the one who gets to decide how you will learn and grow in your life. You get to make the choice to look at your partner’s criticism or meddling in a new way, one that gives you insight into your own habits– or to simply react to what’s going on, feel like a victim and fail to grow.

Open up to learning.
It’s all about approach. There’s no doubt that it can be a challenge when you feel triggered, put down or put off. The lesson is there waiting, but you can’t “hear” it. The one who hurt you seems nothing like what a “teacher” should be!

It helps to recognize what you do when you close down. How does it feel in your body? What words do you usually say? Think back to a time when you know you shut down and felt offended or irritated by something your partner (or another person) did. Try to be as objective as you can and “observe” your own self.

The more you understand what you do when you close down, the easier it will be to move yourself toward opening back up again. To make this shift, you may only need to notice what you are doing and then guide yourself back with words like, “What would help me learn from this moment instead?”

Take the expansion.
As you open back up, you’ll become more aware of what the lesson is that’s being offered to you. You can more easily consider what in this difficult moment is here for your growth and expansion.

This doesn’t mean that whatever your partner says or does is “right” or something you have to agree with and abide by. Acknowledging and accepting the opportunity for insight (into yourself and others) is what’s key. The lesson could be that you are now certain that you don’t like to be spoken to in a harsh or critical way. Or it could be that you see, through the mirror of your teacher’s words, that you are judgmental and narrow-minded sometimes too.

When you take the expansion, things can shift. You realize more clearly what your own habits are and you know what kind of a relationship and life you want for yourself and which direction to go to get there.

Choose your experience.
When you view your partner (and other loved ones) as a teacher, you make space for freedom. The freedom that comes with learning and the freedom that comes with choosing how you’d like your life experience to be are both right here when you take in the lessons offered by your interactions with others.

There are many things you cannot control in your life. If you try to dictate how others act and react or how conditions are, you will exhaust yourself and get frustrated quickly. But you can always choose how you meet whatever just happened and whatever is still going on. You can intend to learn from it.

The Relationship Dojo was last modified: June 10th, 2013 by Susie and Otto Collins

I feel more than ever that humanity has the possibility to realise the potential state of Wholeness, or Completeness, that is incrementally achieved by those who choose to heighten their thoughts or whose mind, words and deeds are authentically harmonious and serene so as to be in touch with deep wisdom.

It is surely the goal of physical existence to achieve this full state of wholeness and it can be partially experienced during ones progress to its full achievement.

It is a state where ignorance and superstition are superseded by an awareness of frequencies that speak beyond such limitations to the innate intelligence that is present beyond the lower man made frequencies that have kept humanity in the dark for so long.

I believe that this expansion of light is now perceived on many levels around the world and has a real consequence that becomes clearer day by day!

There is no dualism of good or bad or even that today is better than yesterday but rather a growing awareness that brings us closer to what it really means to be human in this very moment!

I believe that there is no evil in nature. Hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes and sicknesses, which humans believe to be nature’s wrath or a manifestation of lower forms of vibration or punishment for man’s misdeeds, are for me ethically neutral. That is they are neither good, nor bad in themselves. They are either the products of chance, the existence of which is necessary to allow freedom of choice, or they are a function of an aspect of the universal laws of nature, necessary to uphold creation.

For me all is totally good in essence, thus all creation is good and is functioning as it was designed to and, as our mind expands beyond dualistic and judgmental thoughts, we slowly come closer to this natural wisdom inherent in the universe.

Negativity is the product of humanities wrongful choices and it is easily eliminated by choices that bypass such inherited fallacies that limit our higher perceptions. Today it may seem that these fallacies and negative human traits abound only because as we all let go of what has limited humanity for so long, we let go of so many of these collective destructive aspects that the Hindus refer to as the Kali or that I refer to as ignorance.

On the surface it may seem to many scientists, environmentalists, economists and artists around the globe that indeed we are in an era where what we know is being destroyed by the turbulence that we are facing. I would say it is more like the Phoenix is rising from the ashes of such destructive forces and their obsolete paradigms.

I would strongly emphasise that the Phoenix within or the birth of awareness can be acquired and refined within each one of us no matter what the circumstances we face may be. It comes more easily to those who choose to reflect and meditate with a bright, clear and unbiased mind and hold close to heart the real core values of life.

The aware mind is capable of logical and precise thinking with clarity of thought that is free from preconceptions, and is thereby able to perceive this higher frequency that resonates in all aspects of life rather than being a far removed philosophical or esoteric concept. However, it is important to note that logic and rationality of thought are not the only requisites of what it means to be human in a more complete sense.

A wise human being has a mind that tempers rationality with benevolence. It is the mind that having perceived the innate goodness of life becomes benevolent and more light; thinks for and of the highest and most noble aspects of life and is committed to it.

As this essence indwells in human beings, it can easily be acquired by a clear choice to think, speak and act in accordance with the higher frequencies inherent in such actions. So in actuality it is one of the principal means for achieving the goal, and at the same time part and parcel of that same goal.

This goal, the Lighter existence, made more accessible by such frequencies as are present today, becomes more powerful as our focus moves towards the light rather than remain in the shadows of the mind. I have no doubt that humanities natural inclination is moving towards such higher frequencies that may well only become more clear with hindsight.

As the Phoenix flies higher towards the realms of light we will have the clarity it takes to be creative in a more conscious and wise way with our hearts wise enough to feel the new freedom that helps create a life-affirming paradigm!

CLICK VividLife.me for more inspiration for living your ultimate life!!!

Tony Samara, author of ‘Shaman’s Wisdom,’ ‘From the Heart,’ ‘Different Yet the Same,’ and ‘Deeper than Words’ was born in England, grew up in Egypt and also in Norway where he discovered the “Zen Buddhist philosophy”. This discovery eventually led him to the “Mount Baldy Zen Center in California, USA” where he learned the spiritual teachings of “Kyozan Joshu Sasaki.” He had curiosity to explore further the essence of spirituality and thus went to live and learn with shamanic communities around the globe including a period of time spent with some highly influential shamans in the Amazon River region and the Andes Mountains. Now people from all over the world visit Tony Samara to take spiritual guidance and experience being in his presence. http://www.tonysamara.org/

READ: Frequencies that are Now Embracing the Earth by Tony Samara was last modified: December 2nd, 2011 by Tony Samara

The meditation is very easy to do. Just simply find a comfortable space, take a few deep breaths so that you are able to let go of any thoughts, any feelings of any situations that you may have in your mind, in your consciousness. Simply come back to a space that is more peaceful, a space that is more free. As you breathe in and breathe out and feel this space, focus on the third eye – that is the space between the eyebrows, the space that is connected in the sense that is beyond seeing. It is much more the subtle sense of intuition, of seeing into dimensions that are not so clear but require that you simply relax and open to those dimensions so that they speak to you in a much more clear way.

As you focus on the third eye breathe in to this area, breathe in deeply and as you breathe in visualise that the breath is activating this space. As you breathe out let go of any thoughts, any feelings that come up and simply create a sense of presence to this space, the third eye, so that now you can begin to use this space to be very clear that now your whole being can expand.

From this space feel the freedom that goes beyond the physical, beyond the mental, beyond the emotional – feel the freedom like a bird, like an eagle – as you fly deeper into the unseen dimensions that make you, as a human being, very special. Those aspects of yourself that are very deep and very profound, as you go deeper into this space allow yourself to expand as though it is as if your whole being connects to all aspects that are around you.

Touch the beautiful aspects of the universe, the stars, the moon, the galaxies. Touch the space where everything is so free and so open, that this feeling, this power that you now connect to is transmitted to your own body, to your own mind, to your own emotions. Sense the power of the universe, the beautiful stars, the amazing space that is everywhere, that goes beyond our mind thinking, that goes beyond our little emotions. Sense how amazing the divine is.

As you become aware through your expansion of this beautiful space that is everywhere, that transmits to you a sense of power and strength, and through your intention allow that transmission to move to the various parts of your body. Sense the breath carry that beautiful open and powerful space that you are experiencing. Sense the heart open up any contraction, any walls, any pains, any sufferings, any doubts, any feelings of low self-esteem, contraction – sense this disappear as you connect to the expansion into the universe. The beautiful stars and their magnificent light touching your heart so that you are present to reality and not the little pictures of your mind, or the little dramas that can now be completely let go of. Sense this space touch all the organs inside of your body so that even the structure of those organs now receive a new burst of energy – the liver, the kidneys, the glands, the blood system, all aspects of your body sense how easy through the out breath it is to let go of all the contractions and limited fear spaces, and how easy it is to open to the beauty of the divine space that you are seeing through your third eye.

As you do this, sense that your whole body begins to change and so the physical dimension of the world becomes less important as your reference now goes deeper to those dimensions that make you a unique and beautiful human being. Sense how free and open and expansive the body is, as it connects to all beautiful energies that strengthen, that change even the structure that was, to a structure that is. As you breathe in and breathe out, notice that this beautiful energy that you are connecting to through your third eye, expands more and more – you go deeper and deeper into the beauty of the universe. There is more light, there is more space and this gets transmitted to your mind. All those thoughts, all those struggles simply move out as you breathe deeply.

Breathing in and breathing out, move out with the out breath, and now allow this space to move in through the third eye, this beautiful space, the divine space that you are in touch with through the third eye to your mind so that every cell in your brain, every cell in your mind, can connect to a reality that is more profound, more deep, more mystical. There are no more thoughts of fear, there are no more thoughts of pain, or suffering, or doubt. There are no more thoughts that take you away from the present moment of beauty. Allow the mind to trust this as you open up more deeply.

Give yourself a few moments as you breathe in and breathe out to allow this process to move deeper and deeper – to allow the process to move deeper to all parts of your mind, the conscious aspects that you know and even more deeply to the unconscious parts of your mind that are hidden and come up in dreams or in certain situations. Allow time, allow the beautiful universal energy that is everywhere, that keeps you alive, that we call the divine, to move deeper into all spaces within your being. As you breathe in and breathe out, keep in touch with this space through the third eye.

As you take your next deep breath feel this energy move from the third eye down into all parts of your body. Sense this energy being grounded, moving down your spine, down to the feet, moving down to the soles of your feet and see yourself, imagine yourself now moving back to the mundane aspects of your life but with a new sense, with a rebirthed sense of being alive, being connected to energy that makes you so special. See yourself going back to your family, to your partner, to any situation with that new sense of being, and as you do this you slowly transmit this aspect to more and more people.
As you put this meditation into practice several times in the next few weeks, you will find that things begin to change around you. As you touch the divine, the pictures that you hold begin to change and we begin to change the situations around us.

The more people that put this meditation into practice and this way of thinking into practice, the more the people in Japan and various parts of the world begin to feel an invisible love that moves beyond, moves deeper than what we watch on television or what we hear on the radio or what we read in the newspaper and this is so important. It is just like when you have a little child it is very important for you to recognise their being through action, not just by observing but by interacting, by being. This is what the world needs today. As you come back to a real sense of being that is transmitted on the many invisible levels, through the many invisible levels that we are not aware of, to touch many people’s hearts.

I encourage you to practise this meditation several times in the next few weeks and to write to me and let me know if you have more questions.

I am a huge advocate of helping people be the best that they can be, and step number one to get them there is to help them find balance in their lives. I feel so strongly about this that my first book was dedicated to showing the reader many different ways to find balance within oneself (Brian’s List – 26 ½ Easy to Use Ideas on How to Live a Fun, Balance, Healthy Life!). And you want to know how and why I ended up writing my first book? Well, the answer lies in a quote that says, “We are here to teach what it is we need to learn ourselves.” In a nutshell, I was going through a period in my life where I was feeling really out of balance and out of center; and I knew that I needed to do something about it.

In early 2008, I was struggling with the decision to leave the family business that I had been a part of for 12 years. Now for those who know me, I am a very driven person and this driven nature has served me well through the years (cross-country bicycling, triathlons, etc.). So, being the driven person that I was, I wanted to figure out why I was feeling out of balance and out of center. I decided I needed to do a couple of things. After some contemplation I realized that I was burned out from my job. I wasn’t fulfilled there, nor was I growing anymore. I knew it was time for a change. And I eventually left that position.

The second thing I did once I realized I was out of balance was to come up with a handful of ideas that I knew would keep me balanced and centered. I put on my self-awareness cap and wrote down five items on a piece of paper. From that day forward every time I began to feel out of balance or out of center, I would refer to my list:

Number #1 Drink enough water daily.
Number #2 Daily exercise.
Number #3 Get enough sleep each night.
Number #4 Spend some time each day alone to reenergize my system.
Number #5 Be creative. For me being creative means writing or playing my guitar.

This helped me out so much that I thought, “Hey, why don’t I expand the list and make it into a book to help others in the same way that I helped myself?” So that’s what I did, and I am so grateful that I moved forward and wrote the book. I learned a lot about myself in the process, met some amazing people during book signings and workshops, the book won a couple of awards (which I am still pinching myself over) and most importantly I know the book has helped others in the same way that I was able to help myself. It has been a grand experience all around. As I worked on and learned how to stay in balance, my path led me to help others do the same.

What is it that you are learning about yourself that you are supposed to teach others?

Everyone is a teacher… was last modified: September 21st, 2011 by G. Brian Benson

Are you your harshest critic? Are you constantly scolding yourself? Do you see only your shortcomings and miss your unique and fabulous talents? If so, this is the meditation for you.

This month I wanted to offer something different so I’ve recorded a guided meditation which you can use at any time. It’s about 7 minutes long and it’s designed to banish those judgmental inner voices and replace them with patient, accepting and loving encouragement.

Lie back and allow it to wash over you, restoring your balance and self worth. I hope that you find this practice helpful and restorative. Simply click the link below to begin.

Ganesh the elephant headed Hindu deity is known around the world as the remover of obstacles. In this practice we will invoke Ganesh’s power to remove the obstacles in our own lives. If you feel ready to move past some of your perceived obstacles, join us for an inspiring evening. Leave feeling grounded and strong, ready to take your practice off the mat and into the real world. All welcome. $25 + HST

Jacquelyn is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher and Reiki Level Two practitioner. Yoga has helped her to overcome paralyzing fears and chronic pain and find her true purpose in life. Her focus is on encouraging those around her to have patience, kindness and compassion for themselves and the courage to stand, fearless, in their own light. Jacquelyn teaches Gentle Yoga, Flow Yoga, Yoga for Women, Beginners Yoga, Seniors Yoga, Learn to Meditate and a variety of workshops.

Center yourself by breathing in fully. Breathe into the belly. Breathe into every cell of your being.

With your out breath smile to your heart. With your in breath send love to your heart. As you breath in and out in this beautiful manner get in touch with how wonderful it is to have a loving, peaceful heart that touches the mysteries of life.

As you breath in and out notice how your heart allows your life to be possible in this very moment and how love is always there for you every minute, every day, forever.

As you breathe in and out know that your heart always understands that love is eternally present. Commit yourself to this wonderful deep feeling of love. Let go of all else that troubles you.

With each out breath feel your heart relaxing more and more and expanding into this beautiful wisdom.

Allow each cell in your body to smile with ease and joy. Notice how your body, emotions and mind are connected. Notice as you experience this ease and joy in your body how your mind and emotions celebrate the beauty of this moment, the beauty that is created forever.

Give yourself a chance to rest deeply in this embrace as you continue to breathe deeply in and out sending love, gratitude and appreciation for the gift that you are now receiving.

Release all the tensions that may be holding you back. Trust. Trust the gift of Love.

“Many people have asked me for the meaning of Peace and how Peace can be put into practise in daily life.

I would like to share with you that Peace is often thought of as a state of non-violence. That it can only be reached through political means or by changing what seems to be the source of conflict outside of ourselves. I highly commend the wonderful people in the world that have made a difference in bringing Peace to the conflicts of the world but I believe that Peace comes from inside.

When we understand that Peace is a state of mind then we understand true Peace.

A good starting point for our state of mind to understand Peace – a state of mind that is often used to the turmoil and chaos that we are faced with, through the infliction of pain and suffering that we perceive as agitating the serenity of our essence – is to remember to nourish the body by not inflicting this turmoil and chaos onto it.

When we are conscious of what we do to our body, when we are conscious that every action that we take creates a momentum that moves through the body, then we understand that simple actions such as eating, drinking, walking, working, what we read, what we listen to, what we entertain ourselves with, creates a momentum that effects the body and hence the mind.

If we inflict pain onto our body by unconscious actions that violate the harmony of the body, that violate the temple that is our body, then we move away from the serenity that is our essence, the serenity that is peace, into a state of turbulence. This then becomes apparent and manifest in the world as a state of non-peace.

In this way, each individual has a great capacity to be mindful of every action that they are part of.

Be aware that what is not healthy for your body is not healthy for your mind. Be aware that if you are addicted to watching conflict outside of yourself such as the negativities that the media, films, radio and other entertainments often “thrill” the mind with, then it takes a lot for the mind to remember the serenity that is its essence as it spends time digesting through the many layers of forgetfulness that is caused by such actions.

It is our quest to honour our beings by nourishing body, mind and spirit with the purest nourishment that we know of so that we can cultivate, and not only talk about, Peace from within.

Now there is a new, amazing paradigm shift happening whereby the old sense of treating the temple (meaning ourselves) harshly and with a lack of consciousness, that our ancestors and culture in the past condoned as necessary, is shifting and shifting rapidly.

This means that what we bring to ourselves and to our consciousness such as foods and drinks, tv programmes, magazines, books, films, conversations and other such things no longer need to contain intoxicants that keep us separate from pure consciousness.

Please be aware that if these intoxicating aspects are used in a way that poison or damage your body or consciousness that you harm not only yourself but also future generations. Interestingly you also negate your possibility to understand that fear, anger and confusion are not eradicated through numbing oneself and that by nourishing yourself purely from a conscious space you help yourself to become more alive and create an alive sense of Peace deep inside.

It is time now to let go of any diet or other nourishment that brings fear, anger, confusion or violence into our body, mind or emotions by consuming only those things which bring Peace to ourselves and other living beings rather than continuing to cultivate the old paradigm within our bodies, minds and emotions.

I believe that Peace is generosity. It is learning to cultivate a loving kindness that brings well-being to our body, mind and emotions as well as to people, animals, plants, the earth, the universe – everything that shares this beautiful world with us.

When we consciously share our time, our energy, our money, our resources, in a way that is conscious then we respect others and ourselves and this respect prevents what feeds disharmony and conflict.

All these conscious actions accumulate so many beneficial and beautiful manifestations.

Embrace conscious actions.

Be generous to yourself and others.

Live a simpler, healthier, more compassionate and peaceful lifestyle for the benefit of all.

With all the financial troubles assailing the world at this time I have been asked for some advice about how to invest ethically or what to do with money, which to me is a symbolic extension of who you are.

There are many ethical bonds, banks and organizations that one can invest in. Better still why not consider investing in consciousness by supporting conscious people and their work and help create an atmosphere where this becomes a new paradigm.

I personally do not believe in half hearted so called environmental funds or companies trying to look good by accumulating a few green points and using the right language to fit into what has become the vogue at the moment.

Beyond spirituality, which is always the best thing to invest in, and down to the more mundane worldly aspects, there are two major societal problems facing us and the world today – energy and war.

Energy in the past has been predominantly either nuclear or petroleum based – both of which are destroying the world.

If money is invested in alternatives then these alternatives become more viable. Governments are not interested in losing the profits that traditional energy sources create for them, even if they say they want something different, so it is a matter for the public to create the momentum.

There is a risk here. The energy companies run a lot of the politics and everyday foundations of the modern world.

War is greed, madness and a game that some people believe necessary to control what they have already.

If we invest in the traditional material world, ie banking, shares, etc most of the money somehow goes into that cycle.

Hence, if we all look at utilising ethical institutions like the Cooperative Bank in the UK where their policy is not to invest in goverments or companies that support such regimes then this is one way to put pressure on those which are more unethical indicating to them that such behaviour is unacceptable.

Having more than a few thousand euros in a traditional bank for a long period of time means that it goes into this unethical energy/war cycle.

Investing in long term high interest accounts does the same.

So I would suggest investment companies that have an ethical sorting out policy. It is never 100% foolproof but it is one simple step to take in order for your money to become greener.

If you don”t mind risking or losing the money then i would invest in wind or ocean power or what might be the future energy source, microbes creating energy, ie methane and biodiesel.

In the end, it is about human beings and their consciousness. Every action that you support helps to create consciousness on some level.

So, for example, supporting amnesty international extends this love to humans who suffer extreme pain.

Supporting the essence that creates the freedom from these dynamics is about supporting the spiritual teachers and enlightened beings that bring miracles into a world that is in the midst of chaos. This I believe to be crucial and often overlooked due to the many and varied daily practical requirements (ie shopping, mortgage, savings, clothes, jewellery, perfumes, cigarettes, alcohol, entertainments, holidays, cars, etc) that seem to grow more important than the supporting of beings who dedicate their lives to the evolution of human consciousness.

The Dalai Lama, because of his spiritual intention, often does more to change human consciousness than some radical organisations battling in a non-conscious way to change the world.

The Dalai Lama doesn”t battle, rather he invites the transcendent level of consciousness to deal with any problems.

Sometimes people believe that materialism is the only paradigm possible when they see so much of it. This is where a bridge beyond materialism and consumerism needs to always be supported and strengthened.

Often the simple things in life are a gateway to well-being and happiness.

Live simply. Be conscious of your actions and support conscious actions.”

Be conscious of your actions and support conscious actions was last modified: August 15th, 2011 by Tony Samara

Tony Samara believes that the extensive use of mobile phones, microwave ovens and other gadgets that emit specific radiation frequencies are seriously damaging our bee populations as well as our energetic bodies. He therefore emphasises the benefits to the environment created by minimising their useage.

Instead utilise sms rather than making long phone calls on mobile phones and find other ways (such as internet telecommunications) to stay in touch with family and friends. Also by using conventional cooking methods you can help nature and yourself.

We will now include an excerpt from a nature journal to highlight the seriousness of the situation:

“According to a study, beekeepers reported an average loss of just over 36% of their colonies over winter, a figure up 13.5% from the previous year, and just over a third of all beekeepers reported losing one or more of their colonies to the condition named Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

Since 2006, their keepers have been reporting the sudden and unusual disappearance of large numbers of their bees. Virtually overnight, all the adult bees in a seemingly healthy hive disappear […]

As critical pollinators of many of the foods we depend upon, healthy honeybee populations are essential to our food supply. About 130 different crops rely upon honeybee pollination. Some 30% of all the different types of nuts, fruits, and vegetables we consume.

Things we can do:

· Plant species native to your region in your yard and garden. These will provide abundant food for local bee populations.

· Grow a wide variety of plants with different colors, shapes, and flowering times. A diverse range of plants will attract an equally diverse range of bee species and give them plenty of food choices throughout the growing season.

· Stay away from hybrid and genetically modified plants, which often don”t produce any of the pollen that bees need to survive.

· Never use pesticides or herbicides of any kind. Though these poisons may be meant for plants and non-bee pests, they can often have a “spill-over” effect that harms innocent bystander species, bees among them. (Pesticides are also extremely unhealthy for us land-bound creatures, too!)

· Consider starting a hive and being a beekeeper by creating a nest for wood bees (which don”t sting!) by simply taking a non-treated block of wood, drilling holes 3/32 of an inch to 5/16 of an inch in diameter and about 5 inches deep, and leaving it out for bees to find. Traditional beekeeping also has many rewards, from a supply of homemade honey to assured garden pollination.”

Do you start each day with a to do list? It might not be written down but the chances are that there are some things on that list that you like doing, some things you don’t like doing and some things you positively hate doing.

Most of us put off our biggest dislikes for as long as possible. They prey on our minds, gnawing away at our happiness even when we’re doing the things we do enjoy. They lurk just out of sight reminding us that we’ll have get round to them in the end.

For me it’s housework. I see the value of a clean house, I know that I’d enjoy living in a clean house but it’s getting to that point that’s the challenge.

I tried procrastination but the mess was always there, right in front of me, reminding me that I’d have to deal with it. When I did get round to it, I’d resent it. I’d be sullen and unhappy, thinking about all the other things I could be doing.

Then, during yet another re-watching of the movie of Gandhi’s life, I had a revelation. In one scene a rare flare up occurs between Gandhi and his wife over her refusal to take her turn cleaning the ashram latrines. Under duress she agrees to do it but as she turns to leave Gandhi stops her and shouts, ‘do it with joy or not at all’.

This has become a mantra in our house. Even the children are asked to do chores with a smile. Well we’re trying anyway. I’m not sure if the movie uses a direct quote but I do know that Gandhi said,

‘Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy.’

Now that’s a way to live! Each day I try to live with this in mind. Rather than putting off the jobs I dislike, I make them an offering. It might be an offering to the Universe, to a loved one (maybe the loved one who made the mess) or an offering of gratitude for a grace received.

This immediately changes how I approach what I’m doing. Instead of being a resented burden, the task has a meaningful purpose.

Here’s a simple way to try this…

When you are about to begin a task you dislike, sit quietly and breathe.

Relax your body and mind.

Think about the upcoming task and set an intention or dedication. For example, ‘I do this with love for my son’ or ‘I do this as an offering of gratitude for the blessing of good health’.

When you’re ready, begin the task and work with dedication and focus, keeping your intention in mind.

Once complete, sit quietly again and thank yourself for making this offering.

I hope that you find this practice helpful when dealing with your to do list today.

A heart opening and joyous practice for all. This workshop will focus on unleashing the pure joy at our core as we connect to the infinite source of energy. This beautiful and joyful community experience will include gentle yoga postures, meditation and other ancient tools designed to open and expand your heart. Leave with a smile on your face and joy in your heart. All welcome. $25 + HST

Jacquelyn is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher and Reiki Level Two practitioner. Yoga has helped her to overcome paralyzing fears and chronic pain and find her true purpose in life. Her focus is on encouraging those around her to have patience, kindness and compassion for themselves and the courage to stand, fearless, in their own light. Jacquelyn teaches Gentle Yoga, Flow Yoga, Yoga for Women, Beginners Yoga, Seniors Yoga, Learn to Meditate and a variety of workshops.

The other day my friend and I were walking around a beautiful old neighbourhood with lots of areas where one can sit and be with Nature. As we were inhaling the beauty around us we noticed an enchanting little garden behind the row of thick bushes and trees. In the middle there was a table and few chairs inviting those who might wonder in to sit down and breathe in the aroma of flowers, the beauty of their surrounding and the gentle chirping of the birds. We decided we had to go in and take this opportunity to connect with stillnes and peace. After looking for an entrance for a brief time we almost gave up when we saw a clearing between the bushes. Having to climb over the rocks and unever ground, and be mindful not to tear our clothes on surrounding branches, we finally made it to the centre of the garden where we sat at a little table and drink in the intoxicating Nature.

As we got up and turned around to leave, we noticed that just about 10 more steps to the left of where we initially fought our way through the thick bushes, there was an actual entrance to the garden, with perfect little stone steps leading to the little path. We both looked at each other and laughed. No words needed to be spoken as we both understood perfectly what was on each other’s mind.

How often it is in our life that we are in such a hurry to get to our heart’s desire that we take short-cuts through unknown territory, littered by danger and unnecessary obsticles? How often we make assumptions that there is no other way in? How often don’t realize that if we just stick it out a little longer we will find a path we are searching for, and we give up while we are only 10 steps away?

Next time you feel like you have searched and searched for your hearts desire and there is just no way you can go on any longer, just stop, take a deep breath and than just walk another ten steps further! To your amazement, the path to all your dreams may just unfold in front of you!

Are you living an abundant life? Does everything you need flow to you with ease and almost magical timing? Or do you feel that you have to fight for every scrap, every resource, every little bit of recognition? Here’s my own simple way to connect to the flow and live a life of easeful abundance.

First let’s think about what an abundant life would look like. Abundance means plentifulness and implies that there’s enough for everyone. Enough of whatever you want; love, success, happiness, wealth, peace, joy and anything else you dream of. So how do we manifest this abundance in our own lives?

Wayne Dyer tells us that

‘Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.’

If that’s the case, how do we tune in to this flow of abundance? I believe that one of the main obstacles to living a life of abundance is fear. It could be fear of taking a risk, fear of success or even fear that we don’t deserve abundance and happiness.

These limiting beliefs trap us in a restricted perception of what our lives could or should be. If we can learn to act with courage despite our fears, we line up with the flow of our lives and the Universe will sweep in to help.

I have lived most of my life with crippling ideas about my own smallness. It was only when I began to work with yoga in depth that I realized that I deserved so much more.

I learned to rein in my fears by focussing on each moment one at a time. I learned that if I gave my best in this moment then the next moment and the thousands after it would take care of themselves. This was so freeing. No longer did I have to play a crazy chess game strategizing for every eventuality and worry.

This is not to say that I always manage to stay on my path but I have learned to recognize when I stray through fear or laziness. I also don’t waste my energy by being in competition with other people. I trust that there’s plenty to go around and that their success doesn’t mean that I can’t be successful too.

To do this sit quietly and focus on the task at hand, give it your wholehearted attention and your best effort. Let go of the past and the future and just focus on now. Stay with your breath in the present moment creating space for yourself without the distraction of worry. In time, this practice will bring you clarity and calm; helping you to stay on your path and in the flow of abundance.

This mindful approach to each moment in life gives a sense of purpose and ease to your activities. You will be amazed how quickly the Universe jumps in to aid you and help you on your way. All the wishing and worrying you did before seems small in comparison to the opportunities and resources that open up to you when you make room for them in your life. You deserve it.

Learn to trust in the abundance of the universe. – Embrace the concept of abundance and feel confident that the Universe has enough for everyone. Let go of your limiting beliefs and refocus your energy, releasing negative thoughts as you trust in universal abundance. Be open to giving and receiving love, compassion, financial success and all the things you seek. A gentle flowing practice which includes breath work and meditation. All welcome. $25 + HST

Jacquelyn is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher and Reiki Level Two practitioner. Yoga has helped her to overcome paralyzing fears and chronic pain and find her true purpose in life. Her focus is on encouraging those around her to have patience, kindness and compassion for themselves and the courage to stand, fearless, in their own light. Jacquelyn teaches Gentle Yoga, Flow Yoga, Yoga for Women, Beginners Yoga, Seniors Yoga, Learn to Meditate and a variety of workshops.

How do you measure success? How do you measure a day? How will you measure your life? We often seem to measure success by financial wealth but there are other ways.

For example, what if we were to measure a day by the number of smiles we send and receive?

Am I really the only person who makes involuntary facial expressions when writing an email? The person I’m talking to can’t see me but here I sit smiling, looking concerned, frowning, showing whatever I’m feeling on my face.

So what if we reverse this, what if we use our facial expressions to change how we feel? What if we smile to lift us up out of the doldrums until we actually feel like smiling. If nothing else we’ll brighten the days of those around us. As I said in my last blog a smile is generally met with a smile, maybe a slightly confused one, but a smile nonetheless. You add to someone else’s day and they add to yours. Perhaps even on a ‘bad day’ these reflected smiles will help you to really feel like smiling.

There’s now scientific evidence that smiling can extend your life. Please enjoy this wonderful and short TED Talk from Ron Gutman called The Hidden Power of Smiling. I promise you it will give you food for thought, it might even change your day.

This meditation is from Thich Nhat Hanh’s wonderful book ‘Peace is Every Step’. Recite this short poem to bring a smile to your face and calm to your body.

Sit comfortably with an upright spine and gradually slow your breath. As you breath mindfully in and out say these words to yourself.

‘Breathing in, I calm my body.

Breathing out, I smile.

Dwelling in the present moment.

I know this is a wonderful moment.’

I hope that this practice will bring more smiles to your face and to the faces of those around you. As Gandhi said, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’

Wishing you joy, love and an easeful life.

Namaste,

jacquelyn (smiling)

Jacquelyn is a 500 hour RYT and Reiki Level Two practitioner teaching at Balanced Life Yoga in Uxbridge. Yoga has helped her to overcome paralyzing fears and chronic pain and find her true purpose in life. Her focus is on encouraging those around her to have patience, kindness and compassion for themselves and the courage to stand, fearless, in their own light. Jacquelyn teaches Gentle Yoga, Flow Yoga, Beginners Yoga, Seniors Yoga, Learn to Meditate and a variety of workshops.

Does your heart light your path through life? Here’s a practical example of how yoga and meditation can radically change your outlook and your experience of today.

Although many of us are initially drawn to yoga as a physical exercise, most of us find that there are many other life enhancing benefits of maintaining a practice. For me it’s all about connection. Connection to self, connection to others and connection to source.

Practice on the yoga mat or meditation cushion prepares us to bring yoga into the rest of our lives. When we take these ideals of compassion, patience and equanimity into our day, how does our reality change?

Last week I had a technical problem with a large company and I was dealing with a support person via email. He was trying to help me but we weren’t getting far. I could have expressed frustration and anger but instead I thanked him for trying to help and left it with him, trusting that it would work out. As I often do, I signed off my email with the word ‘namaste’. I got an immediate and excited response.

‘Namaste, namaste, namaste. Thank you for your kind words.’

I’m sure we both enjoyed that simple human connection and it reminded me that each day is shaped by our attitude. When we smile at people they will usually smile back, the same is true for frowning.

Leading with our hearts gives us an opportunity to connect. Our openness encourages the same response from others. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said,

‘What is uttered from the heart alone, will win the hearts of others to your own.’

I invite you to try this today; smile at strangers, be quick with a kind word. Find space for you and for the people around you. Don’t react, pause to smile and remember that they are just like you, then respond. Be compassion and kindness, lead with your heart.

To cultivate an open hearted approach to life try this technique:

Sit comfortably with an upright spine and gradually slow your breath.

Breathe into your heart, imagining a green light in the centre of your chest that glows brighter with each breath.

See that light getting bigger until your whole body is filled with compassion and love.

Allow that compassion and love to radiate out into the world.

I hope that this practice will assist you in your interactions and perhaps even begin a quiet revolution in your life.

Wishing you joy, love and an easeful life.

Namaste,

jacquelyn

Join me at Balanced Life Yoga in Uxbridge on Friday 6th May for Heart Centred Meditation. (7.30 – 9.00 pm)

In this special workshop we will come together as a community to explore the fundamentals of breath meditation, a practic which leads us to stillness, peace and calm. Participants will leave with the knowledge required to begin a daily, home meditation practice. We will also work with meditation techniques designed to open the heart and harness it’s transformative power, making possible dramatic shifts in our responses to real life situations. All welcome. $25 plus HST

Jacquelyn is a 500 hour RYT and Reiki Level Two practitioner. Yoga has helped her to overcome paralyzing fears and chronic pain and find her true purpose in life. Her focus is on encouraging those around her to have patience, kindness and compassion for themselves and the courage to stand, fearless, in their own light. Jacquelyn teaches Gentle Yoga, Flow Yoga, Beginners Yoga, Seniors Yoga, Learn to Meditate and a variety of workshops.

“From the moment we are born, the most important aspect of life becomes relationship. Relationship is central for survival and for a sense of belonging and well-being. To understand relationship is to understand that this is what makes us human.

In the beginning we learn to relate to what is closest and most dear to our hearts and this is the love that a mother has for her child. We understand that relationship is an expression of love, a sharing of love and a communication of love.

Most of us forget this core aspect of relationship, as unfortunately our mothers are human and even though deep inside there is love the mundane and practical expression of this gets distorted and the child begins to need love rather than express love.

This sense of neediness is what our society has condoned as normal and acceptable. Hence it is difficult to see this neediness as it is such a core aspect of how we see the world.

A child gets frustrated when the mother needs time to focus on other things than the relationship to the child. This creates even more need and so the relationship becomes distorted and as the child grows older this distortion carries on to the relationship he/she has with friends and ultimately with the relationship he/she has with their partner.

I see the world today as suffering from a lack of conscious relationship and full of what I term “needy” relationship. I see this as the cause of many worldwide problems that aren’t always attributed directly to this issue.

Let us embrace conscious relationship in all its aspects so that we can release this neediness and allow our lives to become filled with love.

Radiant Relationships was last modified: April 11th, 2011 by Tony Samara

We cannot DO anything to reach that which we call enlightenment. There are many people at this time who are deeply seeking in a conscious way the deeper aspects of the journey that we all have to undertake. A journey that is more conscious of our actions and purpose here in life.

We are all seekers even if we dont realize this and I believe that out of this seeking there are people that because of their practice and understanding of their journey are well suited to make it easier for others to understand the traps and distractions that often overwhelm us so as to forget our focus and remain attached to the practicalities of every day life.

One of the things that our culture clouds is that the within is often a reflection of the outside and so going within is just as much a distraction as going out and trying to obtain answers from a person outside or a place. My teaching is not inside or outside but rather being in this present moment. Being real to what is going on as your experience. Otherwise the journey becomes very crazy.

As we go within we find all sorts of aspects of ourselves that are helpful but in the end do not answer the depth of the questions that the heart needs to realise and sometimes even become a kind of preoccupation with oneself.

It is the same with reading books or moving to different places. Knowledge is not in those places or in the books but rather in your understanding. Listening to teachers, going to conferences, seminars or events is what many people do and it is interesting to do this but in the end unless you understand then it is information without meaning. This is where a true teacher whether the teacher uses many words or a few words is able to bring deeper clarity to this information so that the information touches your heart rather than the intellect or other parts of yourself. The heart is the gateway to what it means to be in this present moment. I am not speaking about an emotional aspect of yourself but rather the part that knows. The part that is the deeper essence of who you are.

I do believe that working with a teacher is an essential tool that is frowned upon in the west due to the individualism that we over-value.

We are all one and there is nothing that is separate from this oneness except the intellect that likes to create boxes for us to fit in so that we can understand the world and have some sort of dominion over it. The heart understands that true understanding comes from union rather than differences or dominion.

What we are meant to give up is not our essence but rather what prevents this essence from blossoming.

The source is within this knowledge.

I believe that what we seek can only be found once the heart opens to the mystical truth that is contained in opening our hearts to the deepest love that is our essence rather than what the mind projects as reality.

How Can We Reach Enlightenment? was last modified: March 30th, 2011 by Tony Samara

Many people around the world today are looking for inner peace. They are searching in many places, in many techniques, in many books and in many workshops for an answer. I understand this very well because inner peace was the reason why I went to the Zen Buddhist monastery when I was 17. I realized that no one around me could really say with 100% truthfulness, “I am totally in my center and I have a sense of inner peace”. This made me ask, “What is inner peace? Where do you find it?”

I think that anyone who asks that question begins to search and the first place I looked for it was in other people. I met and found a few wise people who claimed that they were enlightened and felt that inner peace, so from that space I asked the question to them, “What is inner peace? Where do you find it?” They invariably answered that inner peace is not an experience outside of yourself nor is it an experience inside of yourself. It is an experience that goes beyond that question because it is not an experience that you can find – it is an experience that you have to live in this moment.

That was such a difficult concept for me because I was always asking myself, “Where is that moment? Where do I go to get that moment?” Some people look for it on the internet, they look for it in books or they look for it in other people until they realize it”s not there. Perhaps it is somewhere much closer than this.

I came to understand that inner peace is simply acknowledging who you are, or acknowledging the reality of who you are. I don’t mean the idea of who you are, such as, “I’m this stressed person or I’m this jealous person or I’m this person who feels a lack of abundance or disappointment”. I mean the real person that you are.

I believe that this real person is much easier to find when you are totally relaxed and totally centered. This is why I find that meditation has brought me to a space where I can say to my children, to myself and to people around me, “I know what inner peace is.”

I have to explain the word meditation because I do not use it in the sense that it is an Eastern technique where you have to sit cross-legged and chant “Aum” or do anything very specific. Meditation for me is simply coming back to myself. Realizing this brought me closer to the answer of inner peace, but of course, I practised meditation for many, many years.

Many people think that inner peace is about going away to Tibet and meditating in a monastery far away from the everyday reality, but I actually think that inner peace cannot be found in those places anymore. It has become more difficult and I might be stepping on some people’s toes here, going against what is normal to say, but I think that those countries have lost a lot of their wisdom. I have never been to Tibet or Mongolia but I have been to India and I definitely know that many people in India, like in the West, are looking for inner peace. They are facing the same challenges that modern society brings up such as, how can we bring inner peace into our life when we have two children who go to school, what can we do when our parents say we need to do what they say and how can we live joyfully when we have the mortgage to pay?

I’ve worked with some very well known business people who have to be practical and have to run big organisations and they have told me that by finding inner peace, they are able to utilise the energy that they have in a more constructive and healthy way. Instead of expending this energy on worrying about the mortgage or worrying if their business is going to succeed during the recession, they have the sense of confidence and security that comes from the knowingness that it is possible to do anything, no matter what the outside world says or however the news portrays the world to be. They even become more successful than ever in these circumstances.

This doesn’t only happen with famous people but also with mothers who ask me, “What do I do when I have three children? I have all these demands, how do I manage?” You manage by managing yourself first. When you do this in a more healthy way, the outside world falls into place more easily. I know that this sounds very simplistic but that is my experience. The world does fall into place. Of course, this requires that you take real action for it to happen, but most people try to find a comfortable space such as when the children go to sleep or when you retire from your work at 65 and you say, “Then I will have time to do all those other things that I really want to do for myself that I think are very important”. It doesn’t work that way. You have to take that step right now.

What step?

Letting go.

When you have a baby crying in your arms for example, the first thing that happens is that your body tenses up. I’m saying this because I’ve just recently had a new baby in my life. When your body tenses up, you think, “What can I do for the baby?” This is just the old program of society saying that we have to do things in a certain way.

It would be very interesting to simply drop everything in that moment and really be present to what is going on inside of yourself. I think that whoever you are dealing with on the outside in that moment, whether it is the baby, the child who is 5 or the teenager who is 15, begins to address you in a different way and this cannot really be explained in words.

There is no simple way of explaining this, but I think that deep inside, you know when you’re letting go of this kind of old program that tells you that you need to do something. You take a deep breath, your body relaxes, your muscles relax and your deep breath connects to something else.

In a practical sense, I connect to, “The baby is hungry”, so I immediately address the need that is being asked to be addressed in that moment instead of stressing, dropping the bottle and then getting upset and feeling guilty because everything is going wrong. “The baby is crying and my wife or husband feels bad because I haven’t done this properly! There is chaos around me!”. Being present in that moment doesn’t stop chaos, but it certainly changes your whole perception of things and how you do them.

People forget the most important thing in those moments. We get so caught up that we don’t realise we are so lucky to be alive!

To really be spiritual, to really open up to consciousness is to fully appreciate this moment. It is not to attach yourself to the mind or to the next moment that may or may not happen. If you have a child, be present to that child because that moment will never come back. If you have a partner be present to this partner. Why waste time thinking, “Is he right for me? Is he wrong for me? Is he doing the right thing”?

Consciousness means being present to everything in life as it unfolds. As that happens, life moves us in the best direction.

What does this mean? Are you aware of your breath in this present moment? Are you aware of the beauty that surrounds us, of the life force? Are you aware that you are divine in your essence? If you are aware of all these things, then you are ecstatic, full of joy.

Are you ecstatic? What does it mean to be ecstatic? Is it the same as some books say and you go to cloud B or planet X or is it a much closer to the heart experience? How do we put consciousness and living in the present moment into practice?

You have to be honest with yourself. I call this exploring consciousness. Sit down and really give yourself time to see what it is that you are, what you are doing in life and how you are doing it. Once you create this intention of consciousness exploration, every act that takes you away from being conscious, from being spiritual or from being a beacon of light, moves out of your life completely, quite naturally

This is where it becomes difficult because it means changing habits that don’t serve a purpose. If you are an angry person inside or angry on the surface, being spiritual means changing that and this is difficult as you let go into the unknown. How do you change it? Become aware. Become real.

Appreciate the moments while you can, because life is very short. We are often jumping ahead of ourselves thinking that things go on forever, but I recently had someone that I love get cancer and this really puts everything into perspective. I’m sure that I’m not the only one to whom this experience has happened and happily, everything changed. The cancer was treated very quickly and the person is completely healed and cured from the cancer. But it does put everything into perspective. Appreciate the moment in full gratitude.

If you have young children, appreciate the moments that you have with them. If you think things are difficult, appreciate that things are easier than they are for many other people. Really appreciate what you have rather than looking for things outside of yourself where you think, “I wish things were different”.

This is how I would summarise gratefulness. When you are aware, when you let go and expand into love, you are able to appreciate things in a very profound way. Each moment, each person and each situation around you becomes so valuable and so precious that there is no time to fall into the trap of negative thinking and old patterns. There is no time anymore for the negative feelings that the mind and the emotions like to get caught up in. There is no time to waste. Be aware, let go and expand into profound love and gratefulness now.

Inner Peace & Gratefulness was last modified: March 23rd, 2011 by Tony Samara

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My VividLife, Episode 1: Equine Therapy with Jennifer Schramm

Shayne Traviss

Sometime's growth involves digging up the dirt and planting anew...
After over 20 years of marketing, promoting and producing others I've decided to open a new chapter in my life.
If you long to go higher, live a life 'all in' join me as I dive in deep sharing my life experiences, travels and inspirations for living a VividLife.

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About VividLife.me

Founded by Shayne Traviss formerly VividLife.me was an online resource for personal growth through over 10,000 blogs, audio conversations and videos, from thought leaders, best-selling authors and wellness experts from around the globe. VividLife.me provided engaging conversations on consciousness and human potential with Arianna Huffington, Jane Fonda and Alanis Morrissette, wisdom packed blogs from spiritual Icons Iyanla Vanzant and Ram Dass, Green Tips from David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, Advice from Award Winning Parenting and Relationships Experts, Recipes from Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw Chef’s and more… and reached and inspired over 3 million people around the globe.
However sometime's growth involves digging up the dirt and planting anew...
And after over 20 years of marketing, promoting and producing others Shayne Traviss decided to open a new chapter in his life.
If you long to go higher, live a life 'all in' join him as he dives in deep sharing his life experiences, travels and inspirations for living a VividLife.